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The Draft once again dominated the discussion today, but there IS a game tonight, against the Brewers. The Cubs’ lineup is once again “the one I like,” but with Steve Clevenger and Ian Stewart flip-flopping at six and eight. Might even be better that way, though it’s weird to conceive of Stewart as a number 8 hitter.

Fantasy opinion, LaHair or Viciedo? Miller park’s home run Chances
Are very good but LaHair has been struggling and Gallardo is pitching.

http://www.bleachernation.com Brett

LaHair’s been hot in his last four games, for whatever that’s worth.

Mysterious4th

I am glad to be a die hard cubs fans or I wouldn’t even think of flipping the cubs game on or even follow them (or stalk all cub site -this is MY FAVORITE site by far-) I like this line up out of all of them. I can’t wait for rizzo to come up (as well as jackson and vitters). And the last time I looked at the draft (thru 255) the cubs are taking pitchers like crazy except the first pick and a 3B (correct me if I am wrong) I’m totally digging theo-jed and company’s picks so far. Loks like they’re rocking the draft from a fan’s view.

Daniel

Question:
I’ve heard many people suggest a garza for the turner kid and the 3b prospect from atl.

I’ve also heard many say it won’t happen, but what if we kicked in vitters? I was stewing on this all day

nkniacc

Id guess the Cubs would want another player if they were to include Vitters

Daniel

But, including vitters was to even it up.

nkniacc

Considering the Cubs wanted Turner, Cast and another player for Garza if they throw in Vitters there going to want a bit more now that Turner hasn’t been dominating this year

die hard

whos at 3B for Brewers?…dont they have someone named Ramirez?

Bric

The way Sori just golfed that ball out with little effort you can kind of understand why steroid boy and cheeseburger boy hit so many up there.

calicubsfan007

I am really getting the fact that 90 percent of the starters for the Cubs are really auditioning for other teams. But that doesn’t mean that I am giving up on this season, I still expect the remaining players to keep the Cubs competitive.

Jp

So if demps has a no hitter going in like the 7th and say the yanks make a trade for him do you think they’d let him stay in or would they request him to be pulled out anyway?

calicubsfan007

Depends. I think Demps done enough for the Cubs to earn the right to finish the game. But the Cubs might want to prevent him from injuring himself before the trade is finalized. Demp is one of the players that can get a decent return of prospects.

http://www.bleachernation.com Brett

Ha, that’s an awesome “thought” question. I think they let him keep going, but the Cubs would bear the “risk of loss.” In other words, if he hurts himself, the trade is a no-go (because the Cubs are the ones getting the benefit of the no-hitter).

Jp

9 up 9 down.

calicubsfan007

LaHair scourched that homer!!! The dry spell is over!!!!

Jp

15 up 15 down. I know this unwritten rule of baseball about not talking about a no hitter during but that only applies if your in the dugout. I like where this is going, giggidy- gigidy

calicubsfan007

Nice Quagmire reference! (=

calicubsfan007

Demps hasn’t allowed a walk yet, from what I’ve noticed. Shouldn’t we be on the “perfect game” watch instead of the “no hitter” watch?

Jp

Yeah, very true but looking to move demps for maximum value I’d take either.

calicubsfan007

Brett, how much will Demps stock rise if he keeps the perfection/ no hitter going?

chirogerg

you have got to be kidding me……DON’T TALK ABOUT IT
BASEBALL 101: DON’T SAY ANYTHING

calicubsfan007

sorry… got excited for a second… I used to play baseball, definetly committed a faux pas there…

Joe

Come on man! Did you really think Dempster could throw a no-no?

calicubsfan007

Hey Braden threw a perfect game last year and has sucked the rest of his career, anything can happen. I am a Cubs fan, which is synonomous with “hope”.

chirogerg

you ruined it you ignorant fool

calicubsfan007

Good Lord, I AM SORRY!!!!!! Jeez!!!!!

Joe

He’s not an ignorant fool. I thought it was funny, a comment from somebody that follows the Cubs, and thinks it’s the end of the line for Demp.

calicubsfan007

Obviously, I look stupid now, but I was genuinely excited. With this kind of season, have to blow even the most miniscule good things out of proportion.

calicubsfan007

@ Joe: I sensed a little mocking there. But I deserve it for my blunder there.

DocPeterWimsey

Superstitions aside, a no-hitter per se won’t raise Dempster’s stock anymore than, say, a deep start in which he does not walk anybody, does not give up any extra-base hits, and K’s a few. Most of the GM’s of contending teams are savvy enough to know that no-hitters are very good and very lucky starts.

(At this point, a 27K perfect game probably wouldn’t change anybody’s minds about what Dempster is worth: he is a known quantity.)

Joe

As always, good stuff Doc.

calicubsfan007

Thanks, that answers my question.

http://www.bleachernation.com Brett

It would have helped just a tiny bit, actually, because it’s the kind of narrative that makes a player a tiny, tiny bit more valuable to his team.

But the shutout part of it – and ERA drop, and continued “good” season – are the real value.

calicubsfan007

Thanks, I was really just curious about the hypothetical, wasnt trying to jinx or anything.

Jp

NM. I’ll still take a shutout and lower that era down a little more

calicubsfan007

CRAP!!!! Stupid Ransom!!!

calicubsfan007

I hate when Cubs rivals ruin things…

Jp

They seem to have a beed on him now. They have hit him pretty good this inning.

calicubsfan007

Only two hits that inning though, not bad…

calicubsfan007

What was Castro doing??????

Joe

I don’t know. Was it a hit and run? If not, Castro had no business being caught in that situation. I saw the replay and it did look like a hit and run. In that case, you CAN”T point a finger at Castro. He was simply in no-mans-land!

calicubsfan007

But based on what has happened recently, not sure if he really was a part of the hit and run situation. Little gun shy with trusting Castro right now. But if it was a hit and run, I will be the first to apologize.

Grumpy

We’ll see what Sveum says. If it was not a hit and run, Castro needs to be benched immediately! I know what you’re saying Calicub, this is all mounting at a ridiculous rate for Castro if it turns out it was his fault. I know people have not forgotten about the rape charge too, even if no charges were presse. The bottom line is we could have a problem player here. I really hope that that is not the case.

DocPeterWimsey

Wrong. Sveum is upset about bad-thinking prior to plays. Base-running like this is not a “thinking” thing: it is a reaction where you jump or don’t jump; once you do, that’s it. You might as well bench a guy for misjudging a ball or swinging at a bad pitch.

calicubsfan007

You are right about Sveum, but coaches tend to be pissed whenever their players give away outs. Theres being aggressive, then theres being stupid. I am not quite sure right now where Castros play falls under.

Joe

We’re talking simple fundamentals again with Castro. You are on 2nd base. I was taught never to take off until the ball was “clearly” out of the infield!(The only exception is a hit and run)

calicubsfan007

Same here

DocPeterWimsey

This is another case of a common baseball aphorism that has nothing to do with how you actually do anything. (Your coaches probably also made it sound like you can wait until the pitch is at home plate before deciding to swing.) What runners do is the same thing that fielders do: instantly read off of the bat where the ball is going to go. The “making sure it gets through” is “judging” (reflexively, like you do as a fielder) where the ball is going to go. It is not a thinking process: if you wait to “make sure” then not only are you going to go station-to-station, but outfielders might have a chance to get you at the next base. It’s the same thing as when a runner misjudges a ball hit to the outfield and either holds up on a ball that falls in or runs on a ball that carries to the fielder.

Now, holding up at 2nd because you forgot that there is a runner at first or because you forgot that there were already 2 outs or something like that is a thinking mistake: you should be priming yourself before the pitch is thrown to go on contact in that case. This sort of thing is a “physical” error (foot-eye instead of hand-eye) no different to a fielding “error” (they always get scored base hits) where fielders misread the ball and fail to break in or back quickly enough.

calicubsfan007

Great explaination Doc, I can definetly agree with what you are saying.

chirogerg

I was taught something else. If the ball is hit hard directly at you or to your left, you take third. If it’s to your right, you stay put. A hit and run has nothing to do with this situation. Hit and runs with a runner on second are rare anyway and the runner would already be at third by the time an infielder got the ball and was ready to throw. There is another exception, though. If the ball is hit softly enough that the fielder makes the play in front of the baseline, then you take third.

Joe

LOL! Are you kidding me?

DocPeterWimsey

That was just an over-aggressive reflex bit of base-running. It was unfortunate, but you see it almost as often as not on balls hit like that.

I am coming to the opinion that aggressive base-running in general is worth it. The correlation between caught stealings and winning is just as great as the correlation between successful steals and wins. Now, most of this is that stolen base attempts correlate with OBP, and net OBP correlates with winning: but there might be a little more, which would be explained by “aggressive base running helps a little, OBP being equal.”

Joe

Doc—I would be happy with that explanation if the “lapse” in judgment happened one or two times. This Has more to do with “comprehension” than base running with Castro.

djriz

Cali, what did the guy do now. can’t watch the game so would appreciate a play by play.

calicubsfan007

Castro got a double, DeJesus hit to short stop, Castro got tagged out after the brief pickle. Just seemed odd.

JulioZuleta

i feel somewhat guilty that every time one our guys hs a good game, I think of it in terms of improving his trade value. That being said, guys like Dempster and Camp, and even DeJesus are going to be able to fetch a good package, and I don’t think many of us saw that coming.

calicubsfan007

Wow, I didn’t know Baker could actually hit!!! LOL

calicubsfan007

Let’s see what Ascensio can do. Finally, some offense for Demps!!!

Kyle

It was a fluke play on a ground ball that just happened to be placed in the wrong spot. Anyone blaming Castro on that one is just looking for an excuse to pile on.

calicubsfan007

If that was the case, I apologize. I am really not trying to pick on Castro.

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